pemberton



(No Model.)

J. H. PEMBERTON.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0m: GONUENTRATOR.

Patented Aug. 23, 1887.

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J. H. PEMBERTON.

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No. 368,683. Patented Aug-23, 1887.

In Vet 7'0? UNITED STATES JOHN H.- PEMBERTON, or Los ANGELES,

PATENT Germs,

CALIFORNIA OR-CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.'368,683, dated August 23, 1887.

Application filed January 17, 1887. Serial No. 224,574. (No model.)

thereby avoiding the necessity of constantattention and supervision.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and effic-ient means for separating the concentrate from the debris.

I accomplish these objects by means of the machine described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my machine, a portion of the hopper being cutaway to expose the interior thereof. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine illustrating the construction of the hopper. Fig. 3 is a plain side elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the discharge-opening of the hopper. V

A is the hopper, which is mounted between the arms of the forked shaft B. A crank, G, is mounted on this shaft, and is connected with the crank D by the connecting-rod E. The crank D is connected with the power which runs the machine, and is shorter than the crank '0, which is attached to the shaft B, so that the motion of the crank D causes a backward and forward movement of the crank 0, thus partially rotating the hopper A, giving sufficient motion thereto to agitate the minerals contained in the hopper, thus allowing the heavier portions to sink to the bottom, while the lighter portions float to the top and flow off around the rim of the hopper.

The shaft B is mounted upon the step-beam 1i, and is held upright by the bearing G. The

step-beam is suspended by means of springs H H in vertical guideways I, so that when sufficient weight is placed in thehopper thesprings will be pressed down and the step-beam lowered. Spiral springs or springs of any suitwhen it becomes worn it may be removed.

able construction may be employed to sustain the step-beam.

The crank pin 1 on the crank G is longer than the bearing on the connecting-rod E, and a stirrup, m, is provided to sustain theconnecting-rod and hold it in line, so that the shaft may move up and down withoutinterfering with the action of the cranks and connecting-rod.

A nipple, J, is screwed upon the discharge opening at the bottom of the hopper, so that conical valve, K, adapted to close the discharge-opening in the nipple, is mounted upon one end of the arm L, which is pivoted at the other end to the frame of the machine.

A prop, M, is hinged to the step beam F, and extends upward to support the arm L, which rests thereon, so that the downward movement of the step-beam will causethe valve K to be lowered. It will be observed that the distance through which the'valve will be moved by the downward motion of the step-beam will depend largely upon the point at which the prop is attached to the valve-arm L, and that by moving the prop near to the pivot end of the valve-arm the downward movement of the valve will be much greater than the downward movement of the step-beam, so that when the hopper is depressed the valve will be with drawn from the nipple of the hopper, thus allowing the concentrate to flow out, and when the, springs force the hopper upward the prop will elevate the valve and close the nipple of the hopper. In order to secure greater sensitiveness on the part of the machine, and to relieve the spring from the great weight of the hopper filled with slums, I provide a balancebeam, N, which is. fulcrumed upon the cross timber O, and is provided with a weight, P, upon one end, and is connected with the stepbeam by the rods Q, provided with turnbuckles R. The weight P is adapted to slide backward and forward upon the balance-beam, so as to regulate the amount of weight in the hopper which will be required to depress the springs.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The slums are allowed to flow from the-battery into the can S, and through the two slots T such a point upon the balance-beam that when the hopper is filled with slums a certain amount of concentrate will be sufficient to overcome the resistance of the springs H and raise the weight P, thus allowing the hopper to sink downward and open the valve and allow the concentrate to escape. The power, now being applied to the'band-wheel W, causes the crank D to revolve, thus turning the hopper back and forth. The agitators V serve to disturb the slums and prevent them from packing, thus allowing the heavier minerals to sink into the bottom of the hopper, while the lighter portions of the slums flow off around the rim of the hopper, which is curved over, as shown in the drawings in Fig. 1,to prevent the slums from running down the sides of the hopper. The agitators V are iron rods passing through holes in the curved irons NV, and are bent at the top to prevent them from slipping too far down into the hopper. The lower portion of the hopper X is formed of a single piece of metal,which is turned smooth upon the inner side, so that the concentrate will not be agitated or sufficiently disturbed in that portion of the hopper to permit a flow of water through thenipple or discharge-opening,butwillgradually settle down and pass out as the accumulation goes on, that portion of the lower part of the hopper being always filled with concentrate, thereby preventing the flow of water through the discharge-opening in the bottom of the hopper. A vertical rod, Y, extends upward from the center of the valve K, and has cross-arms Z projecting therefrom, so as to serve as agitators to prevent the concentrate from packing at the bottom of the hopper, the arms remaining stationary while the hopper and the concentrate therein are turned back and forth.

In order to avoid the expense occasioned by the wear and tear of the slums upon the hopper, I provide copper sheets act, which I slip beneath cleats b b, so that the hopper is lined with coppersheets,which receive the attrition of the slums, and which also serveto amalgamate any free gold which may come into contact therewith.

The valve K is removably, attached to the valve-arm L, so that when it becomes worn it may be replaced with a new valve at slight expense.

The concentrates from some ores are of nearlythe same specific gravity as the slums,

' which can be made more or less sensitive.

pin. Turn-buckles hare provided to lengthen and shorten the prop, so as to regulate the position of the valve and allow the position of the prop to be changed without changing the elevation of the valve.

1. In an ore-concentrator substantially such as described, the combination, as set forth, of the vertically-movable separating-hopper provided with an opening for the passage of the concentrate, a valve fitting such opening, a lever supporting said valve, a support sepa rate from the hopper sustaining one end of said lever, and mechanism connecting said lever with the hopper.

2. In an ore-concentrator, the combination of the vertically-movable separating-hopper provided with a discharge-opening at the bottom thereof, the valve for closing the discharge-opening, the lever pivoted to a support at one end and having the valve mounted upon the other end, the prop connected with the hopper by suitable means, and connected with the lever at a point between the valve and the pivoted end of the lever, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the hopper, the vertically-movable shaft 13, step-beam F, prop M, valve-lever L, valve K, and the frame of the machine.

4. In an oreconcentratorsubstantially such as described, the combination of the separating-hopper, the springs, the balance-beam fulcrumed between its ends, the movable weight mounted upon one end of suchbeam, and means for connecting the other end of the beam with the hopper, as set forth.-

5. In an ore-concentrator substantially such as set forth, the combination of the separatinghopper, the vertical shaft B, the step-beam F, the springs, the rods Q, balance-beam N, support 0, and movable weight P.

6. The combination, with a frame, of the funnel-shaped separating-hopper, the shaft B, bearing G, step-beam F, guideways I, springs H, balance-beam N, support-beam 0, weight 1?, rods Q, prop M, pivoted valve-arm L, and valve K, mounted thereon.

7. In an oreconcentrator substantially such as described, the'combination of the funnelshaped hopper and the movable valve K, provided with the upright rod Y- and crossbar Z.

JOHN H. PEMBERTON. Witnesses:

J As. R. TOWNSEND, F. M. TowNsEND. 

